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Political Parties of the Federation
The politics of the Federation of United African Nations is unique in that each political party that operations in the Federal government (known officially as congresses) is in fact an alliance of national parties from member-nations. Though coalition parties of this nature are not uncommon throughout the world, the Federation is unique in that each congress is a coalition of parties from the various nations. These congresses work to together to ensure seats in the Federal legislature is held by candidates that are willing to push their congresses's agenda. Interestingly enough, the congresses are not created along ethnic lines but instead on political ideals, such as socialist, communism, or liberalism. Inadvertently or intentionally, the congresses are a benefit to the Federation in that they promote international unity between the various political parties of the member-nations and in turn, the cooperation of the member-nations within the Federation itself. Unfortunately, however, the congresses also provide for an add bureaucracy that can be damaging to the Federation. This is especially true when one house of the Federal Assembly is held by one congress and the second house is held by another congress. Partisan politics can ensure and inevitably end in political gridlock which can be damaging to both the legislative and economic livelihood of the Federation. Since the inception of political congresses in the Federation (the Congress of Socialists and Democrats being the first), the Federal President has had to player a larger role in motivating the congresses to act, often times having to devote major time in order to effectively mediate between the parties in order to effective postie political cooperation. This has added a new level to the complexity of the President's job and has led many voters to rely more heavily on presidential candidates that are effective mediators and tend to be more bipartisan in nature. The Following is a detailed list of the Congresses of the Federation, including their national membership. =African Social Democratic Federalists Congress= |- |'Founder' ||Julius Léopold Kendala |- |'Headquarters' ||Aksum |- |'Political Position'||Center-left |- |'Political Ideology'||African Socialism Progressivism Third Way Economics Federation |- |'Party Strength'|| Major Party |- |'Student wing'|| Association of Federalist Students |- |'Youth wing'|| Young Federalist |- |'Party Colors'|| Red |} The African Social Democratic Federalists Congress or Federalist Congress is a major political congress of the Federation of United African Nations. A partnership of center-left political parties from nations within the Federation, the congress is sometimes referred to simply as the Federalists as they are the first political congress to establish itself within the Federation, leading to much of the Federation's core policies being a direct result of congressional politics. The Federalists are also the first congress to capture the Federal Presidency. The Federalists are therefore the oldest congress within the Federation as well as the longest still in operation. The Congress holds a headquarters in the capital city of Aksum. The history of the Federalist Congress began with the socialist movements of Ethiopia and Djibouti. At the time of the formation of the Federation, the ruling parties of both Ethiopia and Djibouti were socialist parties. Ethiopia's ruling party, the Ethiopian Democratic Socialist Front, and Djibouti's Progressive Socialist Party quickly became strong allies. Both parties pushed hard to enforce socialist policies during the early years of the Federation in hopes of improving the overall quality of life for Federation citizens. When the Federation grew to include more nations in Africa, both parties knew that a congress or alliance had to be formed between socialist movements throughout the Federation not only to provide political aid to national parties but also to promote socialist policies on the Federal level as well. Thus during the presidency of Bahta Sherifo the African Social Democratic Federalists Congress or Federalist Congress was formed. Having a strong foundation in both Ethiopia and Djibouti, the Federalist Congress became a popular congress in other nations in the Federation as well and a surge of socialist support grew. This surge culminated in the election of Angela Defar who not only became the Federation's first female president, but also the Federation's first Federalists president, a historical first for a nation whose presidents had previously been politically neutral. Her election ushered in a new era of party politics on the Federal level and not only helped to give the Federalists a strong political foundation but also help to create other congresses that grew out of opposition to the Federalists. Though the early years of the Federalists were outlined by competing ideas of how center-left politics should look like in the Federation, a single philosophy emerged and became the guiding foundation for Federalists policy. African Socialism, a philosophy popular among African leaders of the 1950s and 1960s, was a relatively unused term in modern times until the Federalists, particularly congress founder Julius Léopold Kendala, adopted it. Ambiguous historically, the Federalists used the term African Socialism to define their united political policy, creating a clear definition that is recognized and emulated throughout Africa. Today, the Federalists are one of the strongest and most dominant political congresses in the Federation. The Federalists supports what is has come to coin as true African Socialism. The core tenants of this philosophy are social development enhanced by strong public services, the avoidance of the development of social classes within society and instead the support of the traditional African community, and the protection of the environment in support of Africa's agrarian traditions. In economic, financial, and social welfare policy, the Federalists is a proponent of increasing welfare spending in some areas, creating social assistance policies that reflects citizens' needs and assist their re-entry to the work force. The advocate universal health care, a flexible retirement age, and raising the minimum wage to pace the cost of living. Reducing poverty throughout the Federation is a strong goal of the Federalists .In tax policy, the Federalists calls for increases in corporate taxes for big business and lowering taxes for small businesses. The Federalists supports to creation of some state enterprises, particularly in areas such as utilities as a means of lowering costs to the average citizen, as well as the expansion of public transportation. However, the Federalists promotes more competition in the areas of agriculture and consumer goods as a means of keeping costs low. In social policy, the Federalists are committed to the maintenance and expansion of human rights and civil rights, including (but not limited to): gender equality, equal rights for LGBT citizens, rights for people with physical and mental disabilities, and workers' right. Thus, the Federalists aims at making working conditions for women in families easier by promoting more external childcare centers and more opportunities for part-time jobs. It also aims at reinforcing sexual equality in terms of eliminating wage differences based on gender, continues to support government unions for all citizens, and supports abortions. On issues of culture throughout the Federation, the Federalists promote an Intercultural policy and an intercultural understanding between the member-nations and their diverse communities. The Federalists also supports the integration of immigrants into the Federation through a more streamlined, a less costly naturalization process. In terms of drugs, the Federalists supports the legalization of cannabis as well as lesser restrictions on other various other substances. However, the Federalists does support general smoking bans for many public areas, bars and restaurants as well as minimum age laws of the consumption of legalized drugs and alcohol. In foreign policy the Federalists promotes further participation by the Federation in international organizations such as H.E.A.R.T and ICON. It supports the creation of a regional African organization designed to promote cooperation between African Nations as well as a regional economic organization designed to support economic stability on the continent. The Federalists supports an increase on the part of the Federation on international efforts to promote human rights and peace. The Federalists opposes the use of force in international affairs and thus supports keeping the Federation's military neutral. On issues concerning the environment, the Federalists supports eco tax reforms and increased state support for energy saving measures and renewable energies. The Federalists also supports more regulations to safeguard the many natural areas left in the Federation such as mountains, forests, lakes, and rivers. =African Liberal Democratic Populist Congress= |- |'Founder' ||Leo Shagari |- |'Headquarters' ||Aksum |- |'Political Position'||Center-Right |- |'Political Ideology'||African Liberalism Non-interventionism Laissez-faire Economics Confederation |- |'Party Strength'|| Major Party |- |'Student wing'|| League of Educated Populists |- |'Youth wing'|| Young Populists United |- |'Party Colors'||Green |} The African Liberal Democratic Populist Congress or Populist Congress is a major political congress of the Federation of United African Nations. The Populist congress was formed out of an alliance formed between center-right political parties of the Federation, especially those parties that follow African Liberalism. The congress is more often referred to as the Populist due to their belief that they represent to true founding principles of the Federation and therefore the people. Populist stand on a platform of liberal policies that greatly contrast those of the Federalists and their more socialist policies, making the congress a highly popular opposition front to Federalist power. The Populist have their headquarters in the capital of Aksum. The Populist Congress has its roots in the political parties of Liberia, Lesotho, and Swaziland. Each of the three states were among the first to join the Federation following its foundation. All three were also among the first nations in the Federation whose ruling parties were not socialist parties. At the time that Liberia, Lesotho, and Swaziland signed the Federation’s constitution and join the federation, their nations were ruled by the Liberian Liberal Democratic Party, the Lesotho National Republican Party, and Swaziland National Democratic Movement. Unlike their socialist counterparts, these parties stood for African Liberalism, a relatively new concept in African politics that had not be articulated on a national level but was being separately developed by these political parties. The parties would see a need for unity and a political alliance during the Defar years of the Federation and the socialist policies that the Federalists attempted to enact. The official foundation of the Populist Congress came out of the debate over the Federation’s budget under the Defar Administration. During her first term in office, President Defar and Federalist pushed for increased taxes to be put towards social welfare programs, an improved healthcare system, and education. While opposition from Populist agreed that in theory, the increased spending in those areas would improve the Federation, they argued against the increased taxes as an unnecessary burden that federal citizens didn’t need to suffer. Though the budget would eventually be passed, it only passed after considerable concessions were made by the Federalist to the Populist opposition. The debate and victory solidified the alliance between the Liberal political nations and the African Liberal Democratic Populist Congress was born. Though relatively weak by comparison to the more established Federalist Congress, the Populists began winning popularity by focusing on job creation and great individual freedoms both politically and economically. This gained the Populists increased support by the emerging middle and upper classes of the Federation, especially among those that support free trade and less intervention in the economy by the government. By the end of the Defar Presidency, the Populist had become a true opposition congress to the power of the Federalists. Today, the Populist are one of the major dominant political congresses in the Federation, second only to the Federalists. The Populist support the protection of civil liberties and individual responsibility in a clearly defined political platform they call African liberalism. The Populist call for mutual tolerance of people with different opinions and self-identities, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, the rule of law, and participatory democracy. Populist believe that many Federal agency can be either reduced in size and power or outright dissolved in favor of returning power to the member-nations. Reducing the size of the Federal government, overall, is believed by Populist as a major factor to the continued progress of the Federation itself. The Populist believe that an open society and economic freedom are more conducive to prosperity, and greater economic and social stability, rather than a redistributive and/or regulative state. In economic, financial, and social welfare policy, Populist strongly believe that free markets and individual achievement are keys to economic prosperity. To this end, they advocate in favor of laissez-faire economics, fiscal conservatism, and the elimination of government run welfare programs in favor of private sector nonprofits and encouraging personal responsibility. Populist believe taxes should be reduced across the Federation, especially those that target the private sector. A reduction of taxes, according to the Populist, will allow for economic growth. The Populist support assistance to the less fortunate; however, they believe the private sector is more effective in helping the poor than government. Through this policy, the Populist believe that giving government grants to private charities to supplant welfare spending is more effective. Populist also believe that limits on eligibility and benefits must be in place to ensure the safety net is not abused. In social policies, the Populist remain dedicated to generally equality among the people of the Federation. However, Populist due differ with Federalists when it comes to a few key issues. On abortion, Populist believe that the procedure should only be used when the life of the woman is at risk or in cases of rape. When it comes to immigration, Populist believe in strict laws against illegal immigration into the Federation. They believe illegal immigrants should be held accountable for their actions. They believe the immigration process should be more streamlined however, in order to better process those immigrants working in the system. On drugs, Populists tend to support the legalization of marijuana for private use. However, Populists believe high age limits should be enforced and that most other drugs should be outlawed. On the environment, the Populist adopted as part of their platform support for the development of market-based solutions to environmental problems. According to the platform, "economic prosperity and environmental protection must advance together, environmental regulations should be based on science, the government's role should be to provide market-based incentives to develop the technologies to meet environmental standards, we should ensure that environmental policy meets the needs of localities, and environmental policy should focus on achieving results processes." =African Socialist Revolutionary Laborist Congress= |- |'Founder' ||Tekeda Petros |- |'Headquarters' ||Aksum |- |'Political Position'||Far-Left |- |'Political Ideology'||Communism Marxism/Leninism Trotskyism |- |'Party Strength'|| Minority Party |- |'Student wing'|| Union of Communists Students |- |'Youth wing'|| Communist Scouts |- |'Party Colors'||Red |} The African Socialist Revolutionary Laborist Congress or Laborist Congress is a minor political congress of the Federation of United African Nations. The Laborists congress has its roots with many of the revolutionary groups that fought in Africa during the height of the cold war in an attempt to spread communism. When the Federation was formed, the Communists and Revolutionaries sided with moderate socialists to create the Federal Congress, an alliance which allowed the Communists and Revolutionaries to gain some power. However, the alliance eventually fell apart as the moderate socialists refused to push for more left-leaning policies that the Communists demanded and after the schism the Laborist Congress was born. Standing for more Marxist-leninist policies, the Laborists are most popular among labor unions but have also begun catering to minority groups including islamists. Laborists headquarters are in the capital of Aksum. The Laborists Congress has its roots in revolutionary groups in Africa, like the Worker's Party of Ethiopia. However, other Communist groups in Somalia, Eritrea, and Burundi were also apart of the Laborists front. When the Federation was formed, the Communists sought to create their own political front. However, before Communists leaders could register their own political congress, Socialists leaders from more moderate parties reached out to Communists leaders. A truce was formed between the two groups and the Federalists Congress was born. Promises were made to the Communists that once in power, leaders within the groups would be given prominent positions within government and more importantly, that the Congress would seek more Communists-aligned policies. During President Angelia Defar's term the Communists among the Federalists were pacified as President Defar pushed for many policies the Communists supported, including among them a universal healthcare system. Though the Defar Administration fell short of these goals, the Communists remained loyal in the belief that the successor to the Defar Administration would succeed where she failed. Furthermore, the Communists were of the belief that the successor to the Defar Administration would go further and push for many privatization of the Federation's growing industry. Communists became disappointed when the Nuru administration failed to keep many of the promises that had pacified them during the Defar Administration. Though universal healthcare was achieved, the Nuru administration began backing down against other communist-leaning policies in an effort to bring more cooperation among the congresses moderate elements. The result was alienation by the federalists towards the Communists elements of the congress. Understanding that the congress was being steered towards a more moderate policy the Communists were left with no choice but the spilt with the Federalists, a schism that would initially hurt the Communist more that the remainder of the Federalists Congress. The schism created the Laborists Congress, led by a prominent voice amongst the communists faction of the Federalists, Ethiopian Tekeda Petros. Though the Laborist Congress began in a weakened state, Petros would be instrumental in building their worker union voter base and making the congress a voice within Federation politics. Today, the Laborists are a minor political party but have a major sway within many of the powerful labor unions within the growing industrial complex of the Federation. Among the points in the congresses Immediate Program are a $12/hour minimum wage for all workers and opposition to privatization of Social Security. Economic measures such as increased taxes on the rich and corporations, strong regulation of the financial industry, regulation and public ownership of utilities, and increased federal aid to cities and states; opposition to military interventions; opposition to free trade treaties; nuclear disarmament and a reduced military budget; various civil rights provisions; campaign finance reform including public financing of campaigns; and election law reform, including instant runoff voting. Laborists emphasize a vision of communism as an extension of Federation democracy. Laborists seek to build communism in the Federation based on the revolutionary traditions and struggles of African history, the party promotes a conception of that will guarantee all the freedoms we have won over centuries of struggle and also extend those rights to include freedom from unemployment as well as freedom from poverty, from illiteracy, and from discrimination and oppression. Laborists are quick to make clear that the Congress would not take away the personal private property of workers, only the private ownership of major industries, financial institutions, and other large corporations, and the excessive luxuries of the super-rich. Rather than making all wages entirely equal, the Congress holds that building communism would entail eliminating private wealth from stock speculation, from private ownership of large corporations, from the export of capital and jobs, and from the exploitation of large numbers of workers.In opposition to what it considers the ultimate agenda of the major congresses of Federation politics, the Laborists reject the right of the Federal government to attack any country it wants, to conduct war without end until it succeeds everywhere, and even to use 'tactical' nuclear weapons and militarize space. Laborists defines the working class as a class which is multiracial, multinational, and unites men and women, young and old, employed and unemployed, organized and unorganized, gay and straight, native-born and immigrant, urban and rural, and composed of workers who perform a large range of physical and mental labor–the vast majority of our society. The Laborists seeks equal rights for women, equal pay for equal work and the protection of reproductive rights, together with putting an end to sexism. Furthermore, the Laborists holds that racial and ethnic discrimination not only harms minorities, but is pernicious to working-class people of all backgrounds as any discriminatory practices between demographic sections of the working class constitute an inherently divisive practice responsible for obstructing the development of working-class consciousness, driving wedges in class unity to divert attention from class exploitation, and creating extra profits for the capitalist class.Finally, Laborists note their commitment to participating in environmental movements wherever possible, emphasizing the significance of building unity between the environmental movement and other progressive tendencies. =Azanian Patriotic Nationalist Congress= |- |'Founder' ||Yonas Kassa |- |'Headquarters' ||Aksum |- |'Political Position'||Far-Right |- |'Political Ideology'||Nationalism Black Consciousness Anti-Communism Populism |- |'Party Strength'|| Minority Party |- |'Student wing'|| Patriotic Student Front |- |'Youth wing'|| National Patriots of Tomorrow |- |'Party Colors'||Orange |} The Azanian Patriotic Nationalist Congress or Patriot Congress is a minor political congress of the Federation of United African Nations. The Patriot Congress was created under the ideas of Black Consciousness and a Renaissances of African culture. The Congress was formed out of a union of fringe Patriot groups from some of the far reaches of Federation territory. Though many of the groups that came to help form the Patriot Congress were groups with varying agendas, a singular platform was created which expressed the desires of a African continent for African people, a renewal of culture, and an expansion of African society towards unparalleled progress. Though highly unpopular with mainstream political parties, the Patriot Congress does have a headquarters in Aksum. Roots of nationalism within the Federation can be found in some of the more fringe groups, particularly those in Eritrea. Elements within the country despised Ethiopia for past transgressions against the Eritrean people despite the government's willingness to work with Ethiopia and Djibouti, cooperation that eventually led to the Federation. After its founding, Patriots saw the Federation as an opportunity to express their own ideas of pan-africanism. Yonas Kassa, a leading Eritrean Patriots among Patriot groups within the country, saw the opportunity early and began reaching out to other Patriots across national lines. Though African Patriot's relation to Pan-Africanism was ambiguous with many Patriot leaders professing Pan-African loyalties but still refusing to commit to supranational unions. Kassa broke through the barriers and bean organizing nationalism on a supranational level, playing to the beliefs that had powered Patriots in the past, colonialism. Promoting the idea that the Federation could not only eradicate the stains of colonialism on the member-states, but also all of Africa, the Patriots joined forces creating the Patriot Congress with the task of promoting not only a colonial free Africa, but a Federation that could stand against colonialism globally. Furthermore, under the Patriot Congress, the Federation would seek to become a economic and political global leader. The Patriots support a state-guaranteed minimum social safety net and state intervention in the economy within market economy bounds. Patriots propose tax decrease to two personal tax rates (18% and 32%) and tax rebates related to the number of children in a family. Patriots also support a continuation of privatisation with the exclusion of several dozen state companies deemed to be of strategic importance for the country. The Congress opposes cutting social welfare spending, and also proposes the introduction of a system of state-guaranteed housing loans while also supporting state provided universal health care. Patriots advocates increased criminal penalties. They postulate aggressive anti-corruption measures (including creation of an Anti-Corruption Bureau, open disclosure of the assets of politicians and important public servants), as well as broad and various measures to smooth the working of public institutions. The Congress is also a proponent of a verification system of those who serve in public offices, university professors, lawyers, journalists, managers of large companies, and others performing public functions. Those found to have collaborated with the security service, according to the Congress, should be forbidden to practice in their professions. Patriots favor a strengthening of the Federal Military through diminishing bureaucracy and raising military expenditures. The Patriot Congress views on social issues are much more traditionalist, strongly promoting itself as pro-family and encouraging married couples to have more children. The Congress is strictly anti-abortion and proposes strict laws against is as well as being against comprehensive sex education. Patriots also oppose granting rights to the LGBT community within the Federation. The Patriot Congress furthermore opposes loose immigration laws, favoring instead stricter policies which immigration laws especially laws which target immigrants migrating from non-African territories. Category:African Federation